In Need of You
by nikerek
Summary: After a near death experience, the snarky and rarely serious Warden Eira is reminded how short her life already is. In hopes not to waste another moment, she lets Alistair in her heart.
1. Chapter 1

"Alistair!" Eira sprinted toward him as he fell to one knee. His head down, she watched him reach for his belt. Eyes on the abomination nearing him rapidly, Alistair's sword fell from his weak grasp. Quickly, she casted a simple barrier before the darkspawn's claws could reach his armor. Eira raised her staff to cast Rejuvenate. She plucked a bottle of lyrium from her belt and took a quick drink to cast Heal.

Alistair drew a long breath and lifted his sword. With an adrenaline fueled battle cry he swung hard at the darkspawn before him. The wet sheen of blood littered his armor. He bashed his shield into the darkspawn's fresh wound and spun to attack the next nearest enemy.

Eira placed her hand over her stomach and sighed with relief. She looked to Leliana, graceful as usual with a blade in each hand. Her arms wide as she spun, she'd made killing look like a dance. Eira took notice of the full bottles of stamina swinging at her hip and turned to check on Morrigan.

Morrigan stood outside of the frenzy, the elements under her control as she blasted the small horde with fireballs, blizzards and lightning. Her party now in control, Eira moved toward the woodline for a safer position.

She slammed her staff against the ground sending arcane blasts at a genlock approaching Morrigan from the rear. The ground shook beneath her. Eira's gaze shot to the trees behind her. An ogre burst through the treeline, its large hand jutted out and hit her sternum. She felt breathless, weightless until the blast of pain brought darkness.

Alistair blocked an arrow with his shield and held his breath as he watching Eira land on her back several feet away from the ogre. No. He clenched his jaw and ran toward the large creature, sword held high. Morrigan engulfed the ogre in a blizzard. Caught in her spell, it moved slower, allowing Alistair several good swings.

Leliana saw the ogre over the shoulder of the darkspawn she was parrying. Her grip tightened around the hilts of her daggers until her knuckles turned white. Now a brute force, she shoved a blade through its eye. Leliana kicked at the creature's leg to ensure it would go down and she ran as fast as she could to her friend's side.

Morrigan rolled her eyes. Battles were never won easily. "C'mon, Songbird! We need all the help we can get!" Morrigan yelled to Leliana while casting a Fireball.

"She's not breathing!" Leliana's voice cracked. She pushed on the warden's chest repetitively as she had seen the healers practice. Tears pooled in her eyes as she breathed into Eira's mouth. She could feel the pulse in her neck slow beneath her fingers.

Alistair kept looking back to Eira. Breathe. A punch to the helmet sent him back into the fight. He kept their attention with taunts to give Leliana time to help Eira.

Morrigan looked back to see several genlock approaching Leliana and Eira. She pointed her staff and shot a bolt of chain lightning. The passing bolt startled Leliana and she threw herself away from Eira. They watched the electricity travel between all three targets and then to Eira. Leliana held her breath, her fingers dug into the ground. She looked back to Morrigan with wide eyes.

Eira's chest rose suddenly and she gasped for breath. Her vision still blurred, her body still aching all over, she closed her eyes and welcomed the darkness this time.

Leliana scrambled to her side. Eira was unresponsive, but breathing steadily. "Maker, thank you." She whispered and pulled out her daggers.

Leliana sprinted toward the ogre. Alistair hit its knee, forcing it to kneel. It lowered the creature enough to allow Leliana climb its back. Morrigan slowed it with a cone of cold as it tried to flail. Leliana drove a dagger through the back of the ogre's neck. She jumped down before and stood with her friends to watch it fall.

Morrigan gulped her last bottle of lyrium and caught the remaining darkspawn in Inferno. The stench of burning flesh filled the air around them. Even she was disturbed by how comforting that smell had become. They were safe.

Alistair sheathed his sword and jogged to Eira. He lifted her head, "Eira, wake up." He grinded his teeth and looked up to Leliana and Morrigan. "She has a million potions, won't one of them heal her?"

"Eira also carries poisons that she makes herself. We don't know which is which." Morrigan replied.

Alistair slid his hands under Eira and cradled her in his arms. "Maybe Wynne will have an idea."

On their long walk back to camp, Alistair turned to Morrigan, " All those spells and not a single one that heals. What good is a witch without a healing spell?"

She raised a brow. "I didn't need a healing spell to keep your girlfriend alive. Tell me, Warden, could your sword have done the same."

Leliana shook her head as they proceeded to toss snide comments back and forth. For once their bickering was a welcome distraction.


	2. Chapter 2

Eira clutched at the sheets. She mumbled incoherently about darkspawn and demons. Alistair moved quickly to her tent. "Eira?" He spoke her name softly as he grabbed her hand. She turned her head side to side, eyes shut tight. She squeezed his hand

Palming her cheek, Alistair spoke her name a little louder.

She opened her eyes wide. Disoriented from the nightmare, she saw Alistair, but couldn't recognize him. Eira sat up quickly, breathing heavily as her heart pounded in her chest. She pushed herself away and choked out a "Get out."

Alistair reached for her, "We're at camp." He spoke softly.

Eira grabbed his arm before he could touch her. She squeezed his forearm to hurt him. She scanned his face, her mind began to clear. "Alistair," her voice was soft. She bit the inside of her cheek and looked away. She ran her fingers through her hair.

He placed his hands on his knees and watched her hair fall around her face. "They're getting worse."

She raised a brow. "Watching me sleep again? Need I bring Dog in to keep an eye on you?" Eira smirked.

He scoffed, "You'd trust that dumb mutt to protect you? Over me?"

"Well there would certainly be less slobber."

Alistair nodded. "And scratching. And definitely less barking. I tend to get into a real mood when the moon is high." He chuckled at his own joke.

Eira shook her head and smiled. She grabbed him by the shirt and closed the distance between them. Their lips crashed in a fast, needy kiss.

He cupped her face and pulled away. Alistair looked over her face, his brows furrowed. "You almost died today."

"And that's different from any other day, how?"

"Because you really almost died today."

Her hands lingered on his shoulders. "Did you forget the job description?"

His hands moved to her cheeks. "Don't rush to the end, I can't live in a world where there's no you." Alistair kissed her again. It was slower, softer than their last kiss. Her arms stretched around his neck as she pressed her body close against his. His arms tightened around her waist.

Alistair leaned Eira back against her bedspread. She watched hungrily as he lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. He tugged at her mage robes. "What is this? One piece? How do I get this off?"

Eira laughed slowly. "One stretchy piece. Lifts right over my head. Even you should be able to manage."

"Ha ha." Alistair placed his palms on her ankles and slid his hands up her calves, her robes pooling at his wrists.

Eira bit her lip, expecting him to fumble, be clumsy, make a joke or several. But he was as steady as he was on the battlefield. His hilt-calloused hands gentle against her soft skin.

Alistair laid her robes over his shirt on the floor and stared at her, taking notice of every curve, every scar. He silently thanked the maker for the full moon's light.

Eira crossed her arms, suddenly self-conscious. "What? Not what you expected?"

"I couldn't have imagined anything so beautiful if I tried."

Her cheeks grew hot, but she rolled her eyes. "Get over here." She pulled him down by his shoulders.

Alistair laid next to her, propped on one elbow. He kissed her softly and placed his free hand on her waist. His hand traveled to the hem of her smallclothes. He traced the fabric against her skin. Eira's fingers stretched through his hair.

His hand reached below the fabric. She was hot and wet to the touch. His erection throbbed as he imagined feeling her around him. Impulsively, he pushed his middle finger inside of her quickly. Eira threw her head back and gasped. She tugged lightly at his hair. Alistair watched her squirm beneath him. He smirked when she bit her lip. He removed his hand suddenly.

Eira tried to catch her breathe. He had caught her off guard. She watched him bring his hand to his mouth.

Alistair sucked her wetness from his finger and groaned lightly. "Maker, I didn't think anything could taste so sweet."

Her lips were swollen and parted. Her cheeks red. She was breathless already. She reached for his trousers, unable to contain her need. Alistair caught her hands and swung his leg over her thighs.

He leaned over her, his hands shaking now. His mind began to race. "Are you sure?"

"Well I'd think that was pretty obvious." She grinned and lifted her hips against him.

She kept herself guarded. He wanted within her walls. Alistair grabbed her chin and tilted her face to his. He searched her eyes. "Are you sure?" The question stretched between them.

Eira bit the inside of her cheek as she looked back into his eyes. Her feelings were hers and she wasn't always able to express them. She preferred to hide behind her sarcasm. She loved him, but in her own way, she'd let him know, but in her own way. Her voice was soft. "Always."

He was still for a moment. He knew her well enough to know how much that one simple word meant. He moved his hands to her neck and kissed her deeply.

Alistair pushed her legs apart with his knees and unlaced his trousers and moved them off his legs as gracefully as he could.

Her eyes widened. Maker she thought and blessed the full moon for the abundance of light that seeped into her tent.

Alistair reached under her back and pulled her smallclothes down her body. He hooked his fingers on her bottoms and pulled those down as well. Eira brought up her knees as he slid them down her legs and she kicked the bits of fabric away.

He stayed kneeled as she placed her legs back on each side of his knee. Vulnerable in so many ways.

Alistair lowered himself, their bodies hot against one another. He moved his erection against her, "Always." he whispered. It was a promise between them now. Eyes locked, he watched hers glisten in the moonlight.

He slid himself inside her. Her lips parted as she released an unsteady breath of pleasure. He clenched his jaw, his fingers digging into her bedspread. "Maker's breath," he breathed.

Eira held onto his upper arms that tensed as he began to move away. He began pumping his hips slowly. He kissed her between throaty grunts. He moved faster as her grip tightened. She squeezed her eyes shut. Eira bit his lip, stifling her own moan.

He pushed into her harder. Beads of sweat lingered on his brow. She put her head back and grabbed fistfuls of her hair. Her thighs squeezed his hips.

Alistair grabbed her thigh as he moved faster. She tightened around him. He throbbed inside her. Nothing else existed in this moment, but their bodies connecting perfectly in the vibrant moonlight.

Eira grabbed the back of his neck, lifting herself enough to kiss him. Her body strained and shuttered as she climaxed. He followed her body, climaxing inside her. He moaned mid-kiss as he finished. They were breathless, gasping for oxygen between kisses that grew soft.

Eira breathed in his scent as he buried his face in her neck. Stamina and steel. She closed her eyes, their bodies relaxed.

"Alright, now do that one spell that gets me all energized because we are definitely doing that again." He spoke against her neck.

Eira laughed and pushed him away. "A monster is born."

He kissed her chest and grabbed her thigh. The night would bear witness to their desires. Without spells or potions, their bodies writhed together until dawn.


End file.
